Gas-producing apparatus



March'31, 1931. 1. U. MCDONALD 1,798,617

GAS PRODUCING APPARATUS Filed June l5, 1925 3 SlleeLS--Sheeil l 5 g 41 l .1/:;9.,l :,f

vMarel-n 31, 19,31.

J. u. MQDONALD 1,798,617

GAS PRODUCTNG APPARATUS Filed June l5, 1925 3 Sheets-5212291;` 2

March 31,-1931. l J, u, MQDONALD .1,798,617

GASv PRODUCTNG APPARATUS Filed June l5, 1925 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 l l l l 5 l Patented Mar. 31, 1931 i UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN URBAN `IWICDOIQ'AIJ'J, 0F COLUMBUS, OHIO GAS-IPRQDUCING APPARATUS Application led June 13, 1925. Serial No. 36,904.

This invention is a continuation in part of or agitate the fuel in the producer. Suitable my prior application Serial N o. (312,750, filed seal-pots are piovided and connected with January 15, 1923, now Patent 1,771,133. the dutlet pipe for preventing the escape of This invention relates to an improvement the gas. 4

in producer' gas making apparatus for manu- In the accompanying drawings: 65 facturing gas for power and heating pur- Fig. 1 is a side elevation of the gas proposes. ducing apparatus;

Theobject of my invention is to arrange Fig. 2 is a vertical section through the the producer so that there is no intermittency producer; f of fuel admission thereinto. The fuel is fed Fig. 3 is a top plan view of the steam 60 into the producer in an unbroken column dome; i from some source of supply. This permits of Fig. 4 is a top plan view of the air supply using a continuous gravity feed, thus eliniichamber; and nating any mechanical means for feeding the F ig. 5 is a vertical section through the fuel into the producer. water-cooled seal-pot. 65

A further objectof my invention is to per- The numeral 1 indicates the double shell mit the use of any carbonaceous gas making gas producer having outer and inner shells v fuel, such for instance as any grade of fuel 2 and 3 spaced apart to provide a space 1 from vegetable or animal matter, to anthi'atherebetween. The producer is supported cite coal, and this fuel may be successfully by means of a ring 5 surrounding the outer 70 gasiiied with this invention. Oil may be shell 2 and it is connect-ed with and rests mixed with the other fuel for the purpose of upon suitable supports 6, having their lower enrichment, and thereby making a richer and ends bolted to and supported upon .the conmore satisfactory gas than is ordinarily being crete foundation 7. The space 4 between the done iii the present producer gas practice. shells2 and 3 is closed at the top and bot- 75 A still further object of my invention is to toni, as shown in Fig. 2, to provide a closed cause a total gasification of all combustible circumferential water receptacle Within this constituents of the carbonaceous gas making space. fuel acted upon in one continuous operation The lower end of the producer is open, as without disturbing the reaction taking place shown in Fig. 2, and arranged beneath this 80 in the producer by intermittently feeding the lower end is a water and ash receptacle 8, fuel. provided on the lower side thereof with a The invention further provides for the gencircumferential groove 9, adapted to receive eration of sufiicicnt steam combined with a the rollers 10 supported and carried by-tlie generation of gas to more than operate the circular U-shaped member 11, which is suit- 85 entire gas producing plant. ably supported on the concrete foundation The apparatus, by which these objects are 7. This water and ash receptacle 8 is pr0- obtained, consists in a double-shell gas provided with a circumferential drive gear 12 ducer into which the fuel is fed in an unadapted to mesh with and be driven by a broken column, the space between the walls driving pinion 13, mounted on the shaft 14, so of the producer being provided for the adand driven by anysuitable means, not shown, mission of water to be generated into steam for rotating the receptacle 8. The lower end for use in operating the plant, and this steam of the producerl is received within this wamay be piped to any desirable point.. A retcr and ash receptacle 8 and the latter is volving ash and water receptacle is provided filled with water to a suiiicient height above 35 for removing* the ashes around the lower end the lower end of the shell 3 to effect a watcrp of the producer, and said receptacle carries tight seal for the producer, thus preventing the outlet pipe for the gases, which pipe prothe escape of any gas through this outlet jects up into the producer and revolves with while yet permitting the ashes to be rethe water and ash receptacle so as to stir up moved as they drop into the water and ash 13a receptacle 8. For this purpose, the upper side of the receptacle A8 is open. The Water and ash receptacle 8 is provided with a coneshaped center portion 15 sloping away from the center so as to direct the ashes away from the centergand toward the outer edge of the receptacle ,8, in order that they maybe easily removed. i This; cone-shaped portion-15 extends upwardly' to a proximately the same height as the upper e ge of the outer wall of the receptacle, in order to provide a. circumferential trough for efectingthe .watereseaL The cone-shaped center portion 15 is provided with a central opening 16 for receiving a gasoutlet pipe 17. This outlet pipe 17 is provided with suitable flanges 18 for securing the outlet pipe to and supporting it upon the ash and water receptacle 8. so that it will be rotated with this receptacle. The upper end of the outlet pipe 17 is provided with a cone-shaped head or cover 19 to prevent dirt or ashes` from dropping into the open end of the gas outlet pipe. while yet permitting the gas to` pass into this pipe. The lower end of the outlet pipe 17 is provided with an enlarged portion 20. A pipe 21 is supported upon a water-cooled seal-pot 22 and extends upwardly therefrom having its upper end received in the enlarged portion 2O of the outlet pipe 17. A circumferential flange 23 extends outwardly and upwardly from from the pipe 21 surrounding the lower end of the enlarged portion 20. This flange 23 is spaced apart from the upper end of the ipe 21 providing an annular channel 24 etween these members for receiving the lower end of the enlarged portion 20, of the pipe 17, and this channel 211 is partly filled with water to the proper height above the lower end of the enlarged portion 20, so as to provide a water-tight and flexible joint between the parts of the gas outlet pipe while yet permitting the pipe 17 to be ro tated freely with the water and ash receptacle 8.

The water cooled seal-pot 22 receives the lower end of the outlet pipe 21 and this pipev opens into the chamber 23 in the seal-pot for discharging the producer gas thereinto. The seal-pot 22 is provided with double walls` 22 and 23 having a space 22a therebetween for receiving the water from the lower water inlets 25, and water outlets 26 are provided at the upper end of this space in order to provide complete circulation of the water through the seal-pot, so as to properly cool the gas. A pipe 27 extends downwardly into an open seal-pot 28 partly filled with water to the height above the lower end of this pipe 27. A gas outlet pipe 29 extends from and communicates with the interior chamber of the seal-pot 22 and this pipe 29 leads to a tubular heat exchanger 80, as shown in Fig. 1, the upper end of which lgenerated therein.

.space el between the shells 2 The steam-dome .32 supports on its upper Aend a flanged bonnet* 37 which communicates with the interior of the producer ll 'vided for conveying the steam from this steanrdome 32 and these steam outlet pipes 3 -1 communicate with the steam outlet pipes extending` from and coinnnlnicating with the space l `between the shells 2 and 3 for conveying the ste-ain from this space as it is Feed water inlet pipes 36 are provided at the lower end of the producer for feeding water into the circumferential steanigenerator provided by the and 3.

through the open center of the steam-dome 32. Received in the upper end of the bonnet 37, is the enlarged lower end 38 of the feed .pipe 39. The upper `end of the fuel Jfeed pipe 39 extends to and communicates witlrthe fuel supply hopper or receptacle l0 from which the fuel is fed through the feed pipe 39 into the producerfl, thus providing a continuous uninterrupted feed. Arranged ceutrally of thc hopper Li() is an oil supply -pipe 41 provided wi-th the oil spray Ll2 at its lower end for sprayingn oil into the fuel as it is l'ed downward.through the feed pipe 89, so as to enrich the gas, it this is desirable.

rl`he bonnet 3T is provided with an annular inturned flange at its Vupper end for closing the annular space or air chamber 37 between the enlarged end 38 of the feed pipe and the wall of the bonnet 3T. The flange 43 is provided with a plurality of openings All which are adapted to register with openings Al5 in the rotatable damper ring 46. seated upon the upper end of the bonnet 37 for controlling the inlet of cold air into the producer to temperate the warm air drawn into the bonnet 37.

Extending laterally from the bonnet 37 is a hot air inlet pipe 47 leading to the heat exchanger 30 by which means additional air may be injected into the producer, the said heat exchanger 30 being provided with an air inlet 48 at its lower end. Extending laterally from the bonnet 37 is a steam inlet pipe 49.

In operation, the producer is kept constantly full of fuel and a column thereof extends upwardly to any desired height in the feed pipe 39 and hopper 40, this hopper preferably being kept full so as to provide an absolutely constant uninterrupted passage of fuel into the producer, in order that the gasification taking place within the producer is never disturbed by any intermittent feedlingioflthe. fuel.l It is understood that the partial combustion of the fuel 'takes place di i rectly within the producer itself and as the fuel lis. fed, down into the producer, it is burned-and the ashes fall' into the ash receptacle 8 from which they may be removed The air required tosupport partial combuscold-air ports 44 and 45, the partial combus- 4tion of fuel taking place at this point. Since A*the walls of the producer are provided with a M. water receptacle therein, the fuel will not stickto these side walls because the tempera. ture ofthe ,iron shell 3 on the inside of th-e producer and nekt to the hot fuel cannot rise much higher than the temperature within 'the water receptacle and steam generator 4,

when under a definite pressure. This being true. the fuel in the producer works downwardly in a steady and constant manner because of its not being obstructed, which is a necessary requirement in the production of uniform gas. A sufficient amount of steam may be taken from the steamgenerator 4 and the steam-dome 39. through the pipes 34 and 35, to more than operate the entire plant and this steam may be used for any purpose desired.

T he gases are drawn downwardly from the bed of hot fuel and also through the ashes at the bottom. constituting a breaking up and purifying of all the combustible constituents` acted upon. These gases are drawn off through the gas outlet pipe 17 from the center of the producer from where they pass into the seal-pot 22 and through the outlet pipe 29 into the tubular heat exchanger 30, passing through the pipe 31 to a suitable storage tank. The water seals maintained between the pipes 17 and 21 and between the lower end of the producer 1 and the receptacle 8 prevent the escape of any gases at these points. Since the outlet pipe 17 with its conical head 19 rotates with a continuous rotation of the water'and ash receptacle 8, this outlet pipe 17 serves as an agitator for the fuel in the producer preventing it from stopping up, which is a very necessary requirement in operation and this agitating of the fuel increases the value of the producer gas as it is drawn off from the producer.

It willthus be seen that this invention provides for the destructive distillation of allof the combustible constituents of carbonaceous matter. leaving no result-ant b v-products or residue other than the ash content of the fuel. All the troublesome tarry content of the fuel gasified is converted into a fixed and permanent producer gas by being drawn downwardly through an incandescent bed of carbon which makes it possible to use any kind of carbonaceous material. Oil maybe added to the other fuel if desirable and it produces a richer gas than other ordinary fuel. The

fuel, being fed into the producer in a continuous unbroken column from a superimposed source of supply to the ash receptacle at the lower end of the producer, moves downwardly in proportion to the rate at which it is converted into gas and this gas is removed from the producer through a centrally located ott-take pipe provided with a. revolving conehead, which serves to prevent the dirt from entering the pipe and agitates the .fuel sufficiently to keep it moving downward.

Producer gas is thus produced by taking air into the producer by sufficient quantities to maintain the required temperature and to convert the fuel into a combustible gas. The resultant gas is of a lean quality because of the fact that it carries with it a high percentage of nitrogen which is separated from the oxygen upon entering the hot fuel bed Aand introduced by the admitted air.

Consequently, the use of producer gas is limited to industrial purposes, such as Iheating furnaces and running gas engines.

I claim:

1. A gas producing apparatus including a gas producing chamber, a bonnet supported on said producer, a fuel feed pipe extending into said bonnet, and spaced apart from the walls thereof, said bonnet having an inturned flange between the walls of the bonnet and the feed pipe, anda damper ring seated upon said flange about the feed pipe, said flange and damper ring having openings therein in position to register with each other.

2. A gas apparatus comprising a vertical producer having its lower end open, a fuel feeding chamber above said producer having an annular air chamber arranged around the lower end thereof, a charging chamber ar ranged above said feeding chamber, an ash receptacle beneath said producer and adapted to receive the lower open end thereof, a gas off-take pipe arranged centrally of the lower end of said retort, a tubular heat exchanger in communication with said gas off-take pipe, and a hot air conduit leading from said heat-exchanger to said annular air-chamber. I

3. A gas apparatus comprising a vertical producer having its lower end open, a fuel feeding chamber above said producer, having an annular air chamber arranged around the lower end thereof, a charging chamber arranged above said feeding chamber, a ro-v tatable ash-receptacle arranged beneath the lower open end of said producer, the central portion thereof being conical and adapted to project inwardly int-o said retort, a gas offtake arranged centrally of said gas receptacle and adapted to project inwardly into said producer, and a detlector mounted on the' Y'feedin chamber above said roducer, a

char-ging chamber arranged above said feeding chamber having an annular air chamber arranged around the lower end thereof, a, rotatable ash-receptacle arranged beneath the lower open end of said producer, the central portion thereof being conical and adapted to project inwardly into said retort, a gas off-take arranged centrally of said gas receptacle and adapted to project inwardly` into said producer, a defiector mounted on the upper end of said gas off-take, a heat eX- changer in communication with said gas offtake pipe, a hot air inletl leading from said heat-exchanger to said air chamber above said producer. and means for controlling the admission of atmospheric air to said chamber.

5. A gas apparatus con'iprising a vertical producer having its lowercnd open, a fuel feeding chamber above said producer, a

charging chamber arranged above said feeding chamber, having an annular chamber arrangedaround the lower end thereof, an ash receptacle beneath said producer and adaped to receive the lower' open end thereof, a gas off-take pipe arranged centrally of the lower end of said producer, a tubular heat exchanger in communication with said gasoff-take pipe, and a hot air conduit leading from said heat exchanger to said annular airehamber. said annular air-chamber having a' plurality of controlled inlets at' the upper end thereof for controlling the admission of atmospheric air to said chamber.

G. A gas producer including a gas producing chamber, means for feeding fuel in a continuous gravity-controlled, uninterrupted column into and through the chamber. said means maintaining said column uninterrupted and continuous for a substantial distance from the chamber so that any disturbance by the addition of fuel thereto will not be communicated to the chamber, hood means extending upwardly into the lower portion of the fuel bed for agitating the fuel bed within the chamber to cause al continuous downward feeding thereof upon combustion, means for admitting air to the top of said producer, and means for withdrawing the liberatedv gases from the lower portion of said producer.

7. A gas producing apparatus including a stationary gas producing chamber having the lower end thereof open, means for feeding fuel to said gas producing chamber, an` ash and water receptacle arrangedbeneath the gas producing chamber for receiving the lower end thereof and for receiving the ashes therefrom, said receptacle being adapted to contain a liquid to a height above the lower end of the gas producing chamber for preventing the escape of gas through said receptacle, means for rotating said ash and water receptacle relative to the gas producing chamber, a gas outlet pipe supported by and rotated with the ashv and water-'receptacle for agitating the fuel within the gas producing chamber, and a iiexible water-sealed joint arranged within portions of the gas outlet pipe.

8. A gas producing apparatus including a stationary' gas producing chamber haring the lower end thereof open, means for feeding fuel to said gas producing chamber, an ash and water receptacle arranged beneath the gas producing chamber for receiving the lower end thereof and for receiving the ashes therefrom, said receptacle heilig adapted to contaiua liquid to a height above the lower end of the gas producing chamber for preventing the escape of vgas through said receptacle, means for rotating said ash and water receptacle relative to the gas producing chamber, a gas outlet pipe supported by and rotated with the ash and water receptacle for agitating the fuel within the gas producing chamber, and a water-cooled seal-pot for the gas outlet pipe.

-In testimony whereof I afli.\v un signature.

JOHN URBAN MeDoNALD. 

